Yes, Dean?
by yuki kahara
Summary: I think Cas wants a pet. I don't think Dean likes Cas's idea of 'pet.' can be slash, but only if you wanna. Happy Labor Day, America!
1. Chapter 1

"Cas?"

"Yes, Dean?"

"Did your, ah, did your pocket just move?"

Castiel carefully tightened his left hand.

"No."

The two stared at each other a moment before Dean looked back to the former angel's left coat pocket.

The room was completely silent when a moment later, the pocket in question moved again, this time with a distressed squeak. Dean slowly raised his eyes to meet the stoic angel's, eyebrow receding to his hairline in question.

"…Maybe."

"Cas?"

"Yes, Dean?"

Dean sighed at the repetition, along with the former angel's attempts to stall.

"What is in your pocket?"

Damn, he felt like a father talking to his six year old.

"I believe you humans call it _Glaucomys volans_."

…A very smart six year old.

"What does that mean in English?"

As a way of answering, Cas pulled his hand, and the _Glaucomys volans_, out of his pocket to show 'dad'.

Before Dean could get a good look at it, the little creature bite the former angel's thumb. Still unaccustomed to human pain, Cas dropped the creature with a yelp.

Free at last, it made a beeline to the highest place it could climb: the mirrored dresser. It clung oddly at the peak, staring in sheer terror at the two men below it.

Dean was just as startled, but recovered quickly.

He gave Cas a look.

"A squirrel?" he asked, grabbing a shirt and walking towards the frightened animal.

"Not just a squirrel," Cas said, and Dean could swear he heard a hint of pride in that voice.

"It's a Southern Fl-"

At that moment, Dean inches away from catching it, the 'not just a squirrel' leaped from the mirror, gliding effortlessly to land on one of the beds before scampering off and hiding beneath it.

Startled for a second time in under a minute, Dean swung his confused gaze from the bed to Castiel for an explanation.

"…-ying Squirrel." Cas finished lamely, pride and smile gone.

Dean scowled. A scared flying squirrel. Figures. With his luck, it was probably possessed too.

Dean pointed to the right side of the bed.

"Help me catch it," he ordered, moving to the left.

Cas obeyed, copying the hunter's movements by kneeling beside the sleeping device and looking under it.

The little critter was curled in a ball in the middle, near the head. As both men went to grab it, it bolted down the length of the bed, exiting from the end and dashing under the mirrored dresser.

Both men shot upwards, turning to see where it had run to now.

Dean sat there on the floor, his heated glare shifting like a tennis match between the Demonic Furry's new hiding place to the sheepish grin his angelic companion wore.

Fifteen minutes later left the hunter and former angel in a slightly disheved motel room, still chasing the small tree dweller.

It now sat near the middle of the room, staring its livid and indifferent foes down.

Cas made a lunge at it, slamming into the ground where it once rested, grabbing at empty air as he and Dean watched it scamper out the door Cas had forgotten to close when he first arrived.

Cas sat up as Dean slowly walked to stand next to his fallen comrade, still glaring after the tiny ball of evil.

There was an awkward silence.

"So, uh, where's Sam?" Cas asked nervously, fully aware of Dean's mood.

"Talking to the M.E." Dean ground out.

"Oh."

The silence resumed.

"Um, Dean?"

"What?"

An awkward pause.

"My thumb's still bleeding."

More awkward silence.

Then, still glaring at the door, Dean turned towards the bathroom to retrieve the first aid kit, refusing to look at the fallen angel.


	2. Chapter 2

"…With extra onions, right?"

"Of course. And, hey, don't forget my pie!"

"Dean, when have I ever forgotten the pie?"

"…"

"Oh, come on. One time. One. I said I was sorry. When are you gonna let that go?"

"Never, dude. I just got back from Hell and you forgot my pie."

"Look, I'm in the diner right now looking at the dessert case. What flavor do you want? We got Dutch Apple, Lemon Meringue, Harvest Cherry and Key Lime."

"All of them."

"Dean."

"What?"

"Only one."

"Party pooper. Ah, does the apple come with whipped cream on top?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Cherry, with whipped cream."

"…Fine.

"What?"

"Nothing."

There was a pause, along with the clinking of glass.

"There. I for sure have your pie. Happy."

"Only when that baby's in my hand."

"Good bye, Dean."

"Later, little brother."

Dean chuckled, clicking the already disconnected phone shut.

He was about to unlock the door when a thumping noise from inside made him freeze. He stood silent, listening. When he heard it again, he traded the phone for his pistol before noiselessly unlocking the door and throwing it open.

The room was trashed, like someone had been searching for something. Both beds were stripped, the bed side tables pulled from the wall, both dining chairs toppled, paper and books everywhere.

There was movement to his left, and Dean swung around in an instant, gun raised, ready to fire when a familiar head popped up from the other side of the table.

Dean fumbled, lowering the weapon.

"Damn it Castiel! You trying to get yourself killed?"

"Hello Dean."

"What happened?" Dean asked, ignoring the greeting and pocketing his gun, glancing around the room more carefully,

"Why are you on the floor? You okay?" the hunter continued, the concern for a friend's safety worming past his adrenaline into his voice.

Ribbet.

Dean froze in his surveillance of the room, turning to look at Cas just in time to see something small and green jump into the downed angel's head.

Said angel sat motionless on the floor, body tensed, eyes wide, watching and waiting for the older Winchester's reaction with a mixture of anticipation and slight fear.

"Cas?"

"Yes, Dean?"

"…There's a frog on your head."

"Why, yes. Yes there is. Your power of observation continues to excel forwards. That's good. Strong observational skills is important for a hunter, is it not?"

A pause.

"Cas?"

"Yes, Dean?"

Ribbet.

Dean closed his eyes, sighing. He stepped to the side, pointing out the still open door, eyes still closed.

Cas deflated, but stood. Shoulders slumped and head bowed, the almost human walked past Dean and out the door like a scolded child being sent to his room, a frog still merrily croaking on his head.

When Cas had left, Dean sighed, running a hand down his face and looking around the trashed room once more.

Damn, he wished Sammy would hurry up with his pie.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean sat at the small table, trying to find more lure on how to kill a child's thought projection of the 'monster in her closet.'

Good grief, this was a weird case.

The door opened and he stole a glance, expecting it to be Sam, back from his trip to the trunk.

Instead, he found himself doing a double take when he saw Cas enter, with a rope in one hand tethered to a-

Dean stared, turning sideways in the chair and stretching his legs.

"Oh, look. You brought dinner with you." he said nonchalantly.

The look on Castiel's face was priceless. It was the perfect balance of shock, horror, disbelief and anger, with a hint of betrayal thrown in.

The fallen angel opened his mouth, as if to say something, but closed it. He thought a moment and opened it again, just to shut it with an audible click. He glared ominously at the hunter before turning on his heels and storming out of the room, dragging the poor creature behind him.

Dean couldn't help but laugh at the teenager-like response of the other man.

Well, that was fast, easy and mess free. If he'd known that was all it would take to make Cas get ride of his little pets, Dean would have threaten to eat them sooner.

Sam returned a moment later, looking back over his shoulder in pure confusion.

"Was that Cas?"

"Yep." Dean answered, turning back to the laptop.

Sam looking back to his older brother.

"…And was that a turkey? Why the Hell is Cas walking around a city with a turkey on a leash?"

Dean just laughed.

"Hey," he said suddenly, leaning closer to the computer screen, "I think I found something."

Sam glanced behind him one last time, only to find nothing out of the ordinary. Shaking his head at the absurdity of it all, he closed the door and walked over to his brother, dropping the bag near their feet.


	4. Chapter 4

"What the flippin' pancake is that?"

"The Red River Hog." Cas answered calmly, knowing by now that when Dean asked such a question, he wanted the common name, not the scientifically one.

"What's it doing here?"

"I found him. Quite the interesting specimen, isn't he? I like his little pointed ears, especially the tassels. They amuse me greatly"

"Where did you get it?"

"The zoh downtown, but they originate in Africa and Madagascar. They travel in groups called drifts or herds and-"

"The zoh? You mean the zoo? You stole it from the public zoo?"

Cas scowled.

"I did not 'steal' him; I rescued him. The zoo is not a nice place, Dean. Such exotic creatures do not deserve to be locked up in cities to be viewed by bored humans. If you wish to see them, it is best to do so in their natural environment. Isn't that right, Young One?"

Cas smile, patting the boar on the head.

"Cas."

"Yes, Dean?" Cas asked, still petting the pig next to him, not looking up.

"You have to take him back. Oh, come on, now. Don't give me that look. We can't drive around killing monsters and hunting Lucifer with a pig in the back seat."

"Red River Hog."

"Besides," Dean continued, ignoring the interruption, "it wouldn't be fair to the pig-"

"Red River Hog."

"-now would it? We don't have the means to take care of him properly. You have to take him back."

"… I guess." Cas sighed after a moment. The almost human suddenly brightened, looking up at Dean. He opened his mouth to say something, but Dean cut him off.

"To the zoo." Dean said forcefully, "Not his natural habitat in Africa. You can't just throw him into an unfamiliar place, surrounded by unfamiliar things. And besides, the zoo staff, and probably the police, have got to be looking for him by now."

"But Dean-"

"No buts. We can't afford to have the police on our tail because you pignapped one of the zoo's locals, and that's final."

"The police are already on your tail, Dean.""That's entirely besides the point, Castiel. Now, take him back.'

Cas sighed dramatically.

"Oh, alright, fine. I'll take him back to that horrible place where they lock up my Father's majestic creatures in small cages and…"

Cas continued his rant, trying to get Dean to change his mind, while leading the hog out of the room.

"Cas?"

The former angel spun around.

"Yes, Dean?" he asked, hopefully.

Dean smiled.

"Don't get caught returning him."

Cas slumped dejectedly, giving his friend a weak glare before turning back around.

"Yeah, yeah," he said, waving a hand over his shoulder in dismissal.

Dean chuckled, shaking his head. The only thought his amused mind could come up with was, 'Kids these days.'


	5. Chapter 5

Dean and Cas stood leaning against the trunk of the Impala, a beer in each of the men's hands.

Sam and Bobby had gone off to gather Intel… at a bar… hours ago.

They were both staring off into space, lost in their own thoughts, sipping at their beers every once and a while, Dean more often than Cas.

The bulge in Castiel's left trench coat pocket did not go unnoticed by the keen hunter.

He was curious, but wary of asking. The last time he had, the two ended up on a wild squirrel chase.

After a few more minutes of peaceful silence, Dean's curiosity got the best of him.

"Hey, Cas?"

"Yes, Dean?"

Dean turned to face his comrade, glancing briefly at the semi-hiding pocket.

"What's in your pocket?"

Cas tensed, a light blush appearing on his usually stoic face.

"Nothing." the angel answered, clearly nervous.

Dean watched Cas shift from foot to foot, his left hand reaching down to graze the bulging pocket.

"Mmm-Hmm." Dean hummed, obviously not believing the man's lie.

Dean watched as Cas fidgeted some more, nervously glancing at the hunter every few seconds. Finally, the brunette sighed in resignation, putting his beer down.

Dean perked up as Cas half turned away from him, using both hands to gentle scoop the something or other out of the pocket.

Cas turned back around to show Dean his prize.

In the angel's hands was a freshly woken up kitten, no older than a few weeks. It was long-haired and medium-light grey in color, it's chin, paws and tail tip dipped in white.

It yawned big, it's ears twitching and head shaking at the sensation.

Dean stared down at it and it stared up at him, blinking tiredly in the bright afternoon light.

Cas stood in front of the older Winchester, still fidgeting in unease as he explained.

"I found her yesterday under a bench at the playground. She was curled up in this tiny ball, shivering. She allowed me to pick her up without incident. She even cuddled up against me."

Cas held the kitten under her armpits, dangling the baby inches away from Dean's face.

Dean leaned back slightly, but the two continued to stare blankly at each other, not caring too much about the change in position.

"She was freezing, Dean." Cas continued. "And hungry and lonely. She doesn't belong on the streets all alone. She just wants someone to take care of her and love her."

As if to drive the point home, the baby nonchalantly licked the tip of Dean's nose.

Aw, Hell, Dean thought. They're in cahoots against me.

Unable to resist any longer, Dean scratched the kitten's snowy chin.

Castiel smiled as the feline immediately started to purr.

"If you can take care of her, then be my guest." Dean said, answering the unspoken plea.

Cas beamed as Dean finished his beer and tossed the bottle. When he stood and started for the driver's door, Cas carefully placed the kitten on Dean's shoulder.

Startle, Dean immediately grabbed the baby, holding the still purring bundle protectively against his chest, glaring at his companion.

"Do you wish to name her?" Cas asked, ignoring the glare and smiling even more at Dean's quick reaction.

"No." Dean answered shortly before turning back to his previous task.

He stopped at the door to hand the tiny feline back before opening the door and getting in.

Cas stood there, his smile widening even more.

Because he knows Dean so well, he had noticed the blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments.

The way his body relaxed, eyes softening when the baby licked him. The small smile when she stared to purr. The gentle way he held her. The brief pauses before refusing to name her and giving her back.

"Either get in the car or give me the cat. We ain't got all day." Dean grumbled through the open window, hand outstretched, startling Cas out of his revere.

"Hold on," he said quickly, chuckling as he dashed around to the passenger door.

Either Dean loved all babies I general (and honestly, Castiel was pleased to find he wasn't surprised by the idea) or Dean Winchester- the badass, stoic, destroyer of evil, warrior of Heaven- was a cat person.

Cas looked down at the bundle of fur sleeping peacefully curled in his lap. He then snuck a discreet glance at the driver and smiled again.

Dean was looking at the kitten out of the corner of his eye, a light, care free smile playing at his lips for the first time in a long time.

Either way, Cas decided, he was never going to forget this moment of peace or the two notions.

Cas watched as Dean reached over and rubbed the baby's head between her little ears.

He burst out laughing as Dean blushed and glared, returning his hand to the steeling wheel and eyes to the road.


End file.
